NST: 'Don't go to vaccine centres if you may infect others'

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KUALA LUMPUR: Prospective vaccine recipients with the status of person under investigation (PUI), person under surveillance (PUS) or close contacts of Covid-19 patients are not allowed to turn up at vaccination centres (PPVs).

National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Coordinating Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin, said that thus far they had found that several individuals with such status were present at PPVs, when they should have been at home under quarantine.

He said that the vaccination exercise for individuals with such status will be rescheduled, because they are at risk of infecting others.

"We check the MySejahtera system where we can check risk status in MySejahtera, and it is always updated. If you are classified as 'close contact' do not come (to PPV)," he said, when met in his visit to the PPV for AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL), today.

Apart from that, he said that those who did not have an appointment at MySejahtera also should not come to PPVs to try their luck to get the vaccine, as it could cause congestion and compromise physical distancing.

At the same time, Khairy also advised those with a vaccination appointment to be present at the appointed time about 15 to 30 minutes early to avoid crowding the place.

Asked about the complaints of some married couples who had vaccination appointments on different dates, whether they could be adjusted to be on the same day, Khairy said that it all depended on the capacity of the PPVs.

He said that if the staff at PPV found that many were not present on the day, they would probably administer the vaccine to the couple who were present that day.

"But if on a certain day the PPV is very full, so that they (healthcare workers) may say that they cannot give it to you. So, we give the PPVs some discretion. I cannot handle it all at the central level, that's ridiculous.

"There is a discretional policy for the PPVs but please, that doesn't mean you can just walk in, only on the day when you are there to accompany your husband or wife. It is not for you to go and rush to the PPVs," said Khairy, who is also the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation.-- BERNAMA